EXAMINATION OF APOSTLE PAUL'S
LIFE
The life, teachings and practices of Paul of Tarsus should now be examined using Yahweh's word as the basis for examination, in order to determine whether or not there was harmony between Paul's life, teachings and practices and Yahweh's word. It has already been observed that Paul was directly chosen by Yah'shuah to be his servant. There is therefore no question that Paul was at one time in his life a true servant of Yah'shuah. Therefore those who allege that Paul was not a true servant of Yah'shuah implicitly say that he fell away from the truth of Yah'shuah and departed into falsehood. They say that just as Judas Iscariot departed from the truth of Yah'shuah and became his traitor, so also Paul departed from the truth of Yah'shuah and became his traitor. The question for determination therefore is whether Paul, some time after the commencement of his service for Yah'shuah, abandoned Yah'shuah's truth and preached and/or practised against Yah'shuah's truth.
Acts 7:57-8:4 reads,
7:57But
they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and rushed at him
with one accord. 7:58They threw him
out of the city, and stoned him. The witnesses placed their garments at the
feet of a young man named Saul. 7:59They
stoned Stephen as he called out, saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my
Spirit!" 7:60He kneeled down,
and cried with a loud voice, "Lord, don’t hold this sin against
them!" When he had said this, he fell asleep.
8:1Saul
was consenting to his death. A great persecution arose against the
assembly which was in
Saul in introduced in the record of Acts as an opponent of the way of Yah'shuah, ravaging the assembly of Yah'shuah and casting into prison his followers.
Yah'shuah Personally Chose
Saul To Be His Servant
Acts 9:1-31 reads,
9:1But
Saul, still breathing threats and slaughter against the disciples of the
Lord, went to the high priest, 9:2and
asked for letters from him to the synagogues of
9:5He
said, "Who are you, Lord?"
The Lord said, "I
am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 9:6But rise up, and enter into the city, and you will be told
what you must do."
9:7The
men who traveled with him stood speechless, hearing the voice, but seeing no
one. 9:8Saul arose from the ground,
and when his eyes were opened, he saw no one. They led him by the hand, and
brought him into
9:10Now
there was a certain disciple at
He said, "Behold, it’s me, Lord."
9:11The
Lord said to him, "Arise, and go to the street
which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one named Saul,
a man of
9:13But
Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much
evil he did to your saints at
9:15But
the Lord said to him, "Go your way, for he is
my chosen vessel to bear my name before the nations and kings, and the children
of
9:17Ananias
departed, and entered into the house. Laying his hands on him, he said,
"Brother Saul, the Lord, who appeared to you in the way which you came,
has sent me, that you may receive your sight, and be filled with the Holy
Spirit." 9:18Immediately
something like scales fell from his eyes, and he received his sight. He arose
and was baptized. 9:19He took food
and was strengthened. Saul stayed several days with the disciples who were at
9:22But
Saul increased more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived at
Yah'shuah's personal intervention turned Saul around, from being a persecutor of the Way of Yah'shuah into a disciple of Yah'shuah. It is therefore clearly established that it is Yah'shuah who personally chose Saul to be his disciple, rather than Saul seeking of his own accord to join himself to the company of Yah'shuah's followers.
Barnabas Went Out To
Acts 11:19-26 reads,
11:19They
therefore who were scattered abroad by the oppression that arose about Stephen
traveled as far as
11:25Barnabas
went out to Tarsus to look for Saul. 11:26When
he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. It happened, that even
for a whole year they were gathered together with the assembly, and taught
many people. The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.
Why did Barnabas go out to Tarsus to seek for Saul? Was it because he accepted Yah'shuah's word in Acts 9:15, that Saul was Yah'shuah's chosen vessel to bear Yah'shuah's name before the nations?
Saul Taught The Assembly In
Antioch
It should be noted that teaching the assembly was one of Saul's first tasks as he worked with Barnabas in Antioch.
Barnabas And Saul Were
Trustees Of Charitable Property From Antioch
Acts 11:27-30 reads,
11:27Now
in these days, prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 11:28One of them named Agabus stood up, and indicated
by the Spirit that there should be a great famine over all the world, which
also happened in the days of Claudius. 11:29The
disciples, as anyone had plenty, each determined to send relief to the brothers
who lived in Judea; 11:30which they
also did, sending it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.
It appears that both Barnabas and Saul were trustees for the relief provisions that the disciples in Antioch sent to those in Judea.
Barnabas And Saul Were
Appointed From Jerusalem To Serve In Antioch For A Period Of Time
Acts 12:25 reads,
12:25Barnabas
and Saul returned to Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their service,
also taking with them John whose surname was Mark.
The indication from 12:25 is that Barnabas and Saul were appointed to serve in Antioch for a defined period of time, after which they were to return to Jerusalem. The implication is that Jerusalem was the headquarters of the various assemblies of Yah'shuah, and from here different servants were given instructions with respect to the localities of their service at designated locations.
This might explain why Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul. For having been appointed to serve in Antioch for a period of time, and appointed to serve with Saul, he went to look for his fellow servant for that service.
The Holy Spirit Appointed
The Prophets And Teachers Barnabas And Saul As Apostles
Acts 13:1-12 reads,
13:1Now
in the assembly that was at Antioch there were some prophets and teachers:
Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen the
foster-brother of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 13:2As they served the Lord and fasted, the
Holy Spirit said, "Separate Barnabas and Saul for me, for the work to
which I have called them."
13:3Then,
when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them
away. 13:4So, being sent out by the
Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia. From there they sailed to
Cyprus. 13:5When they were at
Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. They
had also John as their attendant. 13:6When
they had gone through the island to Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a
false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-Jesus, 13:7who
was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of understanding. The same summoned
Barnabas and Saul, and sought to hear the word of God. 13:8But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name
by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn aside the proconsul from the
faith. 13:9But Saul, who is also
called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fastened his eyes on him, 13:10and said, "Full of all deceit and all
cunning, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not
cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? 13:11Now,
behold, the hand of the Lord is on you, and you will be blind, not seeing the
sun for a season!"
Immediately there fell on him a mist and
darkness. He went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand. 13:12Then the proconsul, when he saw what was
done, believed, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord.
It is noted that both Barnabas and Saul, among others in the assembly in Antioch, were both prophets and teachers. It is also noted that the Holy Spirit specifically called Barnabas and Saul for a special work and sent them away on that work. This work was proclaiming the word of Yahweh in the various places they were sent to. This was indeed an apostolic work, operating not only within the assembly of believers as they had in the past, but also among those outside the assembly of believers.
13:9 notes that Saul's other name is Paul.
Paul Preached To His
Israelite Brethren That Justification Came Through Belief In Yah'shuah And Not
Through The Law Of Moses
Acts 13:38-39 reads,
13:38Be
it known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man is
proclaimed to you remission of sins, 13:39and
by him everyone who believes is justified from all things, from which you could
not be justified by the law of Moses.
Paul clearly preached to his Israelite brethren that remission of sins comes through Yah'shuah the son of David. He also preached that those who believe in Yah'shuah are justified from whatever they needed justification from, a justification that observance of the law of Moses did not and could not facilitate. In other words, Paul preached to his Israelite brethren that it wasn't enough to live only by the law of Moses. They also had to believe in Yah'shuah the son of David, and though him be forgiven their sins and be justified before the Mighty One.
Did Paul Teach His
Israelite Brethren To Forsake The Law Of Moses?
Did Paul teach his Israelite brethren that they were to forsake the law of Moses, seeing that the law of Moses could not justify them? Or did he remain silent on whether his Israelite brethren were to continue to observe the law of Moses?
Barnabas And Paul Spoke Out
Against Idolatry
Acts 14:8-18 reads,
14:8At
Lystra a certain man sat, impotent in his feet, a cripple from his mother’s
womb, who never had walked. 14:9He
was listening to Paul speaking, who, fastening eyes on him, and seeing that he
had faith to be made whole, 14:10said
with a loud voice, "Stand upright on your feet!" He leaped up and
walked. 14:11When the multitude
saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voice, saying in the language of
Lycaonia, "The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!" 14:12They called Barnabas "Jupiter,"
and Paul "Mercury," because he was the chief speaker. 14:13The priest of Jupiter, whose temple was in
front of their city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, and would have
made a sacrifice with the multitudes. 14:14But
when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of it, they tore their
clothes, and sprang into the multitude, crying out, 14:15"Men, why are you doing these things?
We also are men of like passions with you, and bring you good news, that you
should turn from these vain things to the living God, who made the sky and the
earth and the sea, and all that is in them; 14:16who
in the generations gone by allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways. 14:17Yet he didn’t leave himself without
witness, in that he did good and gave you rains from the sky and fruitful
seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness."
14:18Even
saying these things, they hardly stopped the multitudes from making a sacrifice
to them.
It is evident that Barnabas and Paul spoke out against idolatry. For when the people of Lystra attempted to offer sacrifice to them they resisted the people and attempted to dissuade them from their idolatry.
Paul And Barnabas Opposed
Those Who Taught Differently From What They Taught
Acts 15:1-2 reads,
15:1Some
men came down from Judea and taught the brothers, "Unless you are
circumcised after the custom of Moses, you can’t be saved." 15:2Therefore when Paul and Barnabas had no
small discord and discussion with them, they appointed Paul and Barnabas,
and some others of them, to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders about
this question.
The reason Paul and Barnabas were at discord with those who preached the necessity for salvation of observing circumcision after the custom of Moses was that Paul and Barnabas believed the opposite. For 13:38-39 clearly showed that Paul and Barnabas taught that remission of sins and justification before the Mighty One came by belief in Yah'shuah the son of David and did not and could not come by the law of Moses.
The audience on this occasion was a non-Israelite one, while in 13:38-39 it was predominantly an Israelite one, seeing that they were preaching the word in a synagogue on that occasion. The issue that was now being raised was contrary to Paul and Barnabas' teaching all along prior to this point in time.
Did Paul Teach Israelites
To Stop Observing The Law Of Moses?
Now Paul taught in 13:38-39 that salvation or justification cannot come by the law of Moses. He also taught non-Israelites the same thing. Seeing that non-Israelites had not been observing the law of Moses, and Paul taught them what he did, they had no incentive to start observing the law of Moses. For the Israelites Paul gave the same message. But Israelites were already observing the law of Moses. Did Paul therefore tell them to stop observing it, seeing that observing it wasn't necessary for salvation or justification purposes?
Paul Circumcised Timothy
Despite Preaching Against The Necessity Of Circumcision
Acts 16:1-5 reads,
16:1He
came to Derbe and Lystra: and behold, a certain disciple was there, named
Timothy, the son of a Jewess who believed; but his father was a Greek. 16:2The brothers who were at Lystra and Iconium
gave a good testimony about him. 16:3Paul
wanted to have him go out with him, and he took and circumcised him because of
the Jews who were in those parts; for they all knew that his father was a Greek.
16:4As they went on their way
through the cities, they delivered the decrees to them to keep which had
been ordained by the apostles and elders who were at Jerusalem. 16:5So the assemblies were strengthened in the
faith, and increased in number daily.
Why did Paul circumcise Timothy yet he believed that it wasn't necessary for a person to be circumcised in order for that person to be saved? 16:3 says that he did it "because of the Jews who were in those parts". The implication being that the Jews wouldn't have received any word Timothy spoke on the grounds that he hadn't been circumcised, and therefore it was necessary to circumcise him to allow the Jews to give him a hearing.
Paul And Silas Were Accused
Of Teaching Jewish Customs To Romans
Acts 16:16-24 reads,
16:16It
happened, as we were going to prayer, that a certain girl having a spirit of
divination met us, who brought her masters much gain by fortune telling. 16:17The same, following after Paul and us,
cried out, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim
to us the way of salvation!" 16:18This
she did for many days.
But Paul, becoming greatly annoyed, turned and
said to the spirit, "I charge you in the name of Jesus Christ to come
out of her!" It came out that very hour. 16:19But
when her masters saw that the hope of their gain was gone, they seized Paul and
Silas, and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers. 16:20When they had brought them to the
magistrates, they said, "These men, being Jews, are agitating our city,
16:21and set forth customs which it
is not lawful for us to accept or to observe, being Romans."
16:22The
multitude rose up together against them, and the magistrates tore their clothes
off of them, and commanded them to be beaten with rods. 16:23When they had laid many stripes on them,
they threw them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely, 16:24who, having received such a charge, threw
them into the inner prison, and secured their feet in the stocks.
The accusation against Paul and Silas should be noted. Romans accused them before the magistrates of teaching JEWISH customs to Romans. In other words, it seemed to the Romans who accused them that Paul and Silas were teaching Jewish ways.
The Jews In Beroea Tested
The Word Of Paul And Silas
Acts 17:10-12 reads,
17:10The
brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Beroea. When
they arrived, they went into the Jewish synagogue.
17:11Now
these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the
word with all readiness of the mind, examining the Scriptures daily, whether
these things were so. 17:12Many
of them therefore believed; also of the Greek women of honorable estate, and
not a few men.
How The Jews In Beroea
Tested Paul And Silas' Word
Paul preached Yah'shuah the son of David wherever he went, including in Jewish synagogues. Those of the synagogue in Beroea were open-minded to his words but did not blindly accept them. They examined his words to determine whether there was truth in them. They examined his words using the Scriptures - Yahweh's word, for it is by Yahweh's word that all other words are to be examined or tested, to ascertain whether or not they contain truth. When they found that Paul's words concerning Yah'shuah were indeed true, as confirmed by Yahweh's word, they believed the word Paul preached to them.
Why The Jews In Beroea Were
Commended
For so examining Paul's words, using Yahweh's word to make the examination, the writer of Acts calls the Beroean Jews noble people. Therefore, to be deemed a noble person by the writer of Acts, a person should examine by Yahweh's word every word he hears, to ascertain whether there is truth in that word that he hears. When the word agrees with Yahweh's word it should be received. But when the word disagrees with Yahweh's word it should be cast aside.
Jews Accused Paul Of
Teaching Men To Worship The Mighty One In A Manner Contrary To The Law
Acts 18:12-16 reads,
18:12But
when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one accord rose up
against Paul and brought him before the judgment seat, 18:13saying, "This man persuades men to
worship God contrary to the law."
18:14But
when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, "If indeed
it were a matter of wrong or of wicked crime, Jews, it would be
reasonable that I should bear with you; 18:15but
if they are questions about words and names and your own law, look to it
yourselves. For I don’t want to be a judge of these matters." 18:16He drove them from the judgment seat.
The accusation of the Jews against Paul before Gallio the proconsul was that Paul taught men to worship the Mighty One contrary to the law. In other words, they acknowledged that Paul clearly taught men to worship the Mighty One. Their contention was the manner he went about teaching worship, accusing him of doing so in a manner contrary to the law.
How Was Paul Teaching Men
To Worship The Mighty One Contrary To The Law, As He Was Accused Of?
How was Paul teaching men to worship the Mighty One contrary to the law, as alleged by his accusers? Was Paul teaching men to worship the Mighty One contrary to the law? How does the law say the Mighty One should be worshipped?
Was the accusation against Paul based simply on the fact that he preached Yah'shuah the son of David, teaching that men must believe in Yah'shuah in order to have their sins forgiven and be justified before the Mighty One? Is this what his Jewish opponents meant by Paul teaching men to worship the Mighty One in a manner contrary to the law?
Paul Personally Observed
The Law Of Moses
Acts 18:18-21 reads,
18:18Paul,
having stayed after this yet many days, took his leave of the brothers, and
sailed from there for Syria, with Priscilla and Aquila with him. He shaved
his head in Cenchreae, for he had a vow. 18:19He
came to Ephesus, and he left them there; but he himself entered into the
synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews. 18:20When
they asked him to stay with them a longer time, he declined; 18:21but taking his leave of them, and saying,
"I must by all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem, but I will
return again to you if God wills," he set sail from Ephesus.
18:18 clearly states that Paul "shaved his head in Cenchreae, for he had a vow". This is behaviour consistent with that of a man observing the law of Moses. For in Numbers 6 we find the law for Nazirites, which involves the shaving of the head at the conclusion of the Nazirite vow. Nevertheless, the fact that Paul shaved his head in Cenchreae is not entirely consistent with the Nazirite vow, seeing in Numbers 6 Yahweh's word contains provisions involving presenting an offering to priests at his designated location. Cenchreae is not Jerusalem - Yahweh's designated location for his house, where his people present their offerings.
Paul Personally Observed Yahweh's
Feast In Jerusalem According To The Law Of Moses
It should also be noted that at Ephesus Paul entered the synagogue and there reasoned with the Jews who were also in the synagogue. To these Jews he told that he was leaving their presence in order to observe the coming feast in Jerusalem, Yahweh's designated location for observing Yahweh's feasts. Now observing Yahweh's feasts is a matter for the law of Moses. That Paul went out of his way to depart from Ephesus and journey to Jerusalem for the purpose of observing one of Yahweh's feasts clearly shows that he indeed continued to observe the law of Moses.
Why Did Paul Observe The
Law Of Moses Even Though It Wasn't Essential For Salvation Purposes?
Now it should be remembered that Paul clearly taught Jews in 13:38-39 that justification and salvation do not and cannot come by observing the law of Moses, seeing that they come through Yah'shuah the son of David. Nevertheless, here we find Paul continuing to observe the law of Moses even though he clearly acknowledges that it is not necessary for salvation purposes. Then WHY was Paul continuing in observance of the law of Moses when he clearly taught Jews that it was not necessary to observe it for salvation purposes? For what purpose did Paul continue to observe the law seeing that he could not have been observing it for justification or salvation purposes?
It should also be noted that Paul did not require non-Israelites to observe the law of Moses. Yet he, as an Israelite, continued to observe the law of Moses. Why did he as an Israelite continue to observe the law of Moses, yet he did not require non-Israelites to observe the law of Moses? For what purpose did and do Israelites observe the law of Moses, seeing that it is not for salvation purposes?
Paul Made Enemies For
Teaching Against Idolatry
Acts 19:22-27 reads,
19:22Having
sent into Macedonia two of those who ministered to him, Timothy and Erastus, he
himself stayed in Asia for a while. 19:23About
that time there arose no small stir concerning the Way. 19:24For a certain man named Demetrius, a
silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business
to the craftsmen, 19:25whom he
gathered together, with the workmen of like occupation, and said, "Sirs,
you know that by this business we have our wealth. 19:26You see and hear, that not at Ephesus alone, but almost
throughout all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people,
saying that they are no gods, that are made with hands. 19:27Not only is there danger that this our trade
come into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will
be counted as nothing, and her majesty destroyed, whom all Asia and the world
worships."
Paul's teaching wherever he went was clearly against idolatry, and for this teaching he made enemies of those who profited from idolatry.
Why Did The Writer Of Acts
Use "The Days Of Unleavened Bread" As A Reference Point?
Acts 20:1-6 reads,
20:1After
the uproar had ceased, Paul sent for the disciples, took leave of them, and
departed to go into Macedonia. 20:2When
he had gone through those parts, and had encouraged them with many words, he
came into Greece. 20:3When he had
spent three months there, and a plot was made against him by Jews as he was about
to set sail for Syria, he determined to return through Macedonia. 20:4These accompanied him as far as Asia:
Sopater of Beroea; Aristarchus and Secundus of the Thessalonians; Gaius of
Derbe; Timothy; and Tychicus and Trophimus of Asia. 20:5But these had gone ahead, and were waiting
for us at Troas. 20:6We sailed away
from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and came to them at
Troas in five days, where we stayed seven days.
Why did the writer of Acts use "the days of Unleavened Bread" as a reference for the time of their travels? Was it because they had been commemorating these days by observing them? Isn't observance of these days a matter for the law of Moses? Were Paul and his accomplices partaking of an observance of the law of Moses?
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